Merritt Properties has broken ground on RDU Business Park, a 150-acre light-industrial development near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The site is in Morrisville within the Town of Cary and sits about three miles from the airport, giving the project direct access to one of the Research Triangle’s key transportation assets.
Up to 13 Buildings
At full buildout, RDU Business Park is planned for as many as 13 single-story industrial buildings totaling approximately 790,527 square feet. The project is large enough to be delivered in phases as leasing demand develops.
First Phase Totals 201,250 Square Feet
Construction is now underway on the West Phase, a 31-acre first section containing three buildings totaling about 201,250 square feet. Starting with several buildings gives Merritt inventory to serve multiple users while allowing later phases to respond to market demand.
Flexible Industrial Space
The buildings are aimed at light-industrial users, a broad category that can include distribution, service operations, assembly, research-related businesses and smaller manufacturers. That flexibility is valuable in the Research Triangle because tenants range from traditional industrial companies to technology and life-science support firms.
Long-Term Development
The first phase expands Merritt’s North Carolina portfolio, but most of the planned square footage remains for future construction. That makes the groundbreaking the beginning of a multibuilding program rather than the completion of a single project. Tenant commitments and leasing activity will help determine the pace at which the remaining buildings move into construction.
Project at a Glance
Merritt Properties has broken ground on RDU Business Park, a 150-acre light-industrial development near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The site is in Morrisville within the Town of Cary and sits about three miles from the airport, giving the project direct access to one of the Research Triangle’s key transportation assets. At full buildout, RDU Business Park is planned for as many as 13 single-story industrial buildings totaling approximately 790,527 square feet. The project is large enough to be delivered in phases as leasing demand develops. Construction is now underway on the West Phase, a 31-acre first section containing three buildings totaling about 201,250 square feet. Starting with several buildings gives Merritt inventory to serve multiple users while allowing later phases to respond to market demand. The buildings are aimed at light-industrial users, a broad category that can include distribution, service operations, assembly, research-related businesses and smaller manufacturers. That flexibility is valuable in the Research Triangle because tenants range from traditional industrial companies to technology and life-science support firms. The first phase expands Merritt’s North Carolina portfolio, but most of the planned square footage remains for future construction. That makes the groundbreaking the beginning of a multibuilding program rather than the completion of a single project. Tenant commitments and leasing activity will help determine the pace at which the remaining buildings move into construction.
Why the Project Is in the News Now
The key development reported this week is the project milestone described in the opening of this article. That milestone changes the project from its prior stage and provides a clearer view of its current scope, schedule or path toward construction. The figures and dates above reflect the latest publicly reported information available this week.
Current Construction Picture
The latest project information also helps define where the work stands today. The owner or development team has moved beyond an early idea by reaching the milestone reported this week. That matters because large projects normally pass through several distinct stages before crews reach full production: site selection, design, approvals, financing, procurement, early site work, vertical construction, equipment installation and commissioning. The reported milestone places this project more clearly within that sequence and gives the construction industry a better basis for tracking what comes next.
Project Status
As of 2026-08-26, this project is at the stage described above. The latest reporting from Merritt Properties provides the current public milestone. Schedules, budgets and scopes on major construction programs can change as design, permitting, procurement and field work advance. iBidElectric will track later construction milestones when new verified information becomes available.
Source: Merritt Properties. Article independently summarized and written by iBidElectric from current project reporting.
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